Jul 24 Wakatsuki | 中華若月

Style: Shoyu & YakisobaBowl to Crush: Ramen / Yakisoba | ラーメン / 焼きそば

This shop is as old as they come, located in Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho, a small smokey alleyway of shanties and shacks, sizzling yakitori shops and cramped drinking bars. Right smack in the middle of it all you’ll see the red noren proudly hanging at an entrance, advertising housemade noodles and yakisoba within. Wakatsuki has been here since 1948 and serving ramen since 1954, with a second generation husband and wife team currently in charge.

A small bowl of standard ramen costs just 480 yen (about $4). A classic, clear Tokyo shoyu soup, served with chewy, handmade teuchi-style noodles. Fucking awesome. The yakisoba also comes highly recommended (noodles not handmade in this dish though)

The food at Wakatsuki is no doubt tasty, but what’s really special about the place is the atmosphere. it back with a beer, slurp down some time-tested noodles, and watch drunk salarymen, odd characters and the world pass by — it’s vintage Tokyo.